Penn State grad transfer OL Hunter Nourzad set for weekend enrollment

One of the Penn State football program’s biggest offseason additions is set for enrollment. Hunter Nourzad, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound graduate transfer offensive lineman, will wrap his academic career at Cornell this week and join the Nittany Lions on Sunday, Blue White Illustrated has learned.

And it is taking a significant effort for Nourzad to do so.

Running up against academic calendars that don’t align, Nourzad is finishing his final exams at Cornell a week early. With Penn State’s first six-week summer session set to begin Monday, May 16, the move will bring Nourzad onto campus in time to begin classes immediately.

Deciding to continue his career at Penn State over Iowa and Illinois on Feb. 7, Nourzad’s decision came down to a few critical factors.

“There were probably one or two big reasons with Penn State,” Nourzad told BWI upon making his pick. “I love Phil Trautwein and I think he’s a great guy. I have a lot of respect for him, although I have a lot of respect for the Iowa and Illinois staff as well. They’re all great people at both of those schools, too, from what I could tell during the process. But I think one of the big things was that I felt comfortable around Coach Traut. 

“But also, Penn State kind of has a blueprint for what I’m trying to do with them. Last year, with Eric Wilson, they took an Ivy League guy who played inside, and from May to August, which is my same timeline, they developed him enough to start some games. So, that was one of the biggest draws for me. They’ve done what I’m trying to do.”

Hunter Nourzad’s career resume

Accomplished as a multi-year Academic All-Ivy League pick and William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist, Nourzad will also get the opportunity to kick off his Penn State football career this weekend.

At a moment of need for the Nittany Lions in the trenches, Nourzad’s arrival will be met with the excitement the program’s coaching staff has indicated since his February commitment. He’s a multi-year starter for Cornell (the 2020 Ivy League football season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) with a significant resume throughout his career.

As a senior with the Cornell Big Red, Nourzad was Phil Steele’s Ivy League Offensive Lineman of the Year and a first-team All-Ivy League pick. He was also a second-team All-America pick by the American Football Coaches Association. Those came in addition to his sophomore season nod as a second-team All-Ivy League pick. 

The accolades came in response to a career that included 20 consecutive starts at right tackle. In that time, Nourzad helped lift Cornell’s offensive line to allow only 0.9 sacks per game and a school record of only nine sacks on the season. And personally, Nourzad finished second in the Ivy League and 16th nationally in the FCS for fewest tackles for loss allowed.

Next steps at Penn State

Nourzad’s landing spot at Penn State will involve a change, though. Lining up at tackle for the totality of his career at Cornell, Nourzad will jump into a competition at guard on the interior of the Nittany Lion OL. 

“I think that I was probably playing out of position the last couple of years,” Nourzad said. “Not that I wasn’t doing a good job or didn’t want to play there. I wanted to help the team and be there for the guys. But, I know that I’m projected to play guard or center at the next level.

“So, one of the biggest reasons I’m making this move is to try and get experience at guard or center. I think that’s just where my body fits the best, both at a higher level of college football and in the NFL.”

After redshirting his first year at Cornell, Nourzad played in the 2019 and 2021 seasons. Now set to graduate from Cornell, he’ll have two years of eligibility should he choose to use them.